Good reports from hunt opening

Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks check stations in northwest Montana reported a 6.2 percent success rate for big game hunters in the region.

Six check stations in the area reported checking 3,210 hunters with 158 white-tailed deer, 18 mule deer and 23 elk. The success rate was the same as that reported for opening weekend last season.

The rate of success with buck deer was down slightly from last year’s opening weekend mark, with 102 reported harvests compared to 123 last year, but participation was high and game officials were pleased with the number of youth hunters taking the field this year.

“We’ve had a very good survival of young deer for several years running,” said Fish, Wildlife & Parks wildlife manager Neil Anderson. “Although overall buck harvest was down slightly from opening weekend last year, hunters reported seeing a lot of deer. What was really encouraging was to see the number of young hunters out with family members at the Highway 2 check station. We saw a lot of smiles on kids’ faces.”

The Highway 2 check station was by far the busiest, checking 1,270 hunters during opening weekend. The station reported 56 white-tailed deer harvested, 35 of which were bucks. They also tallied 10 mule deer and 16 elk, the highest recorded elk total for opening weekend.

At Thompson Falls 458 hunters checked in, with 21 white-tailed deer, one mule deer and six elk. Last year the station had 375 hunters check 14 white-tails, five mule deer and two elk.

The Swan station reported 440 hunters, down six from last year’s 446. The hunters checked 20 white-tailed deer, one mule deer and one elk, all up slightly from last year’s totals.

The Olney check station had the highest number of white-tailed bucks, with 36 bucks in the 48 white-tail total. They also checked one mule deer, but elk hunters came up empty at Olney.

Canoe Gulch elk hunters also drew a blank, with 398 hunters reporting. Hunters did check seven white-tailed deer and four mule deer.

The North Fork station was the slowest of the northwest region, with 214 hunters. They checked six white-tails, one mule deer and no elk.

Game officials cautioned hunters that general regulations apply throughout the northwest region and are buck only for white-tailed deer, although youth hunters age 15 and younger can harvest antlerless white-tails. Elk hunting is brow-tined bull only, spike elk are not legal game.